“Isn’t everyone in pain in some way?”, a character in the movie asserts. This film explores how pain is experienced from the mundane to the macabre throughout our lives while walking the planet. It is a reflective and introspective look at how we must strive to find ways to be resilient, bouncing back from all of the trials and tribulations with which we encounter.

The movie primarily focuses upon two cousins (Jesse Eisenberg & Kieran Culkin) who join a “pilgrimage/holocaust” tour group in Poland in order to visit the town and actual house of their recently deceased Grandmother (who specifically earmarked funding from her estate to pay for the trip). David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) get a lot more than they bargained for when the emotionally-charged tour stirs up deep-seated feelings from their own past memories and present situations/life choices. David is a married, young father living in NYC with a demanding digital sales position. He is an introverted, obsessive-compulsive, and intensely caring person who is deeply concerned about the well-being of his highly extroverted cousin, Benji, who moves through life in a far more spontaneous and unconventional fashion. Their complex relationship unfolds in spectacular, and at times unpredictable, fashion whilst traveling with a small tour group in Poland.

The film is rather original, in its own right, however distinct similarities are easily to the series of Indie movies such as “The Trip to Italy”, “The Trip to Greece”, etc. wherein the “bromance” between Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon is highlighted while taking “Bourdain-like” trips across a European country. As such, the trip itself serves as the primary instrument to better understand character’s lives, choices, regrets, and hopes. The cousins learn all about the Polish/Jewish culture and history which includes a somber visit to a death camp which murdered many thousands of Poles, mostly of the Jewish population.

So far, this movie sounds super depressing, right? On the contrary such that there are numerous scenes/lines which provide much-needed comic relief. (Unfortunately, the very best comic bits have already been seen by many in the trailers). In any case, along with this movie being a highly contemplative one regarding our experience of “real pain”, it also is very entertaining through lively dialogue and interaction amongst the deeply interesting characters (tour group members) whilst our joining them on this fascinating tour.

As for the acting, the chemistry between the Eisenberg and Culkin characters is synergistically outstanding. As such, they deliver excellent performances. In addition, having personally taken some of these “geriatric tours” as Culkin’s character humorously dubs it, the fellow tour group members are extremely believable, in their own right, such that we grow to empathize with their challenges and “pain”, themselves.

Finally, as this is “Eisenberg’s baby” such that he wrote, directed, and starred in it, he should be lauded for creating a terrific Indie for us all to enjoy. Well done, Jesse!!

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: It was not difficult to identify two workable Peetimes for this movie. The first is slightly more optimal because it is the longer of the two.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of A Real Pain.

Rated:	R) Some Drug Use | Language Throughout
Genres:	Comedy, Drama
USA release date:	2024-11-01
Movie length:
Starring:	Kieran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg, Olha Bosova
Director:	Jesse Eisenberg
Writer(s):	Jesse Eisenberg
Language:	English
Country:	United States, Poland

Plot
Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.